After a six-year absence from the spotlight, Michael Jackson makes a predictable yet triumphant comeback with the aptly titled
Invincible. Several years in the making and reportedly millions of dollars over budget,
Invincible is no
Thriller, but then again, who expected Jackson to top himself? Instead of reinventing the wheel, Jackson and his hit-squad production team (Rodney Jerkins, Teddy Riley, R. Kelly, and others) take an if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it approach to the disc. Thus,
Invincible showcases Jackson's trademark staccato and falsetto-accented vocal style, which is in fine form, particularly on the toe-tapping, piano-driven first single, "You Rock My World" and the lush ballad "Butterflies." Musically,
Invincible leans heavily on Jerkins, whose ace production has recharged the careers of
Brandy,
the Spice Girls, and
Whitney Houston, and whose radio-friendly, stuttered beat patterns permeate seven tracks, including the aforementioned "You Rock My World." The album would have sounded more cutting edge, however, if Jackson had called upon hip-hop visionaries such as Timbaland and the Neptunes (
Dr. Dre reportedly declined to work on the disc). But what he lacks in innovation, Jacko compensates for with his charismatic vocals and catchy, sing-along lyrics, some of which reflect an age-appropriate maturity -- or at least the growth of his sexual appetite. On "Break of Dawn," a euphoric Jackson exclaims over a quiet storm groove that he won't stop making love til' the break of dawn. Well, sham-on, Mike. And as if a posthumous rap by
the Notorious B.I.G. on the energetic "Unbreakable" weren't enough, M.J. recruited rejuvenated hitmaker
Carlos Santana for a spicy guitar solo on the Latin-tinged "Whatever Happens." But Jackson needn't worry.
Invincible has plenty of chart-topping potential. After all, as he barks on "Unbreakable," "you'll never break me." And coming from a man who has experienced equal shares of superstardom and scandal, truer words were never spoken.
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